Anisotropic strength and fracture resistance of epoxy-ceramic composite materials produced by ultrasound freeze-casting

The anisotropic mechanical properties of ultrasound freeze cast epoxy-ceramic composite materials were studied by measuring flexural strength and fracture resistance curves (R-curves) using both unnotched and notched three-point beam bending experiments, respectively, cut in three different orientations relative to the directional freezing axis. Three ultrasound frequencies of 0.699, 1.39 and 2.097 MHz were used in order to introduce different length scales into the microstructure, with 0 MHz used as the control samples. For all cases, the composites showed higher strength and fracture resistance when the crack plane cut across the direction of ice growth (denoted as the YX orientation). The anisotropic properties were more evident for the material produced without ultrasound (0 MHz) where the flexural strength was approximately 160% higher for the YX orientation compared to two orthogonal orientations. Most of the fracture resistance increase was found to occur within a crack extension, Δa, of ～0.5 mm. Comparing the fracture resistance at Δa = 0.5 mm for the highly anisotropic 0 MHz samples showed that the YX orientation was approximately 86% tougher than the two orthogonal orientations. When the ultrasound operation frequencies of 0.699, 1.39 and 2.097 MHz were applied, the amount of anisotropy in the strength and fracture resistance gradually decreased as the operating frequency increased. The high strength and fracture resistance for the YX orientation was attributed to the alignment of the ceramic particles along the freeze front direction creating a barrier for crack propagation. Ultrasound modifies the material microstructure, introducing relatively dense ceramic layers perpendicular to the freezing front direction that act as an additional, orthogonal barrier to crack propagation. The addition of the denser layers acts to improve the mechanical properties in the weaker orientations and reduce the overall anisotropy.     

Combinations of selected physical and chemical hurdles to inactivate Escherichia coli O157:H7 in apple and orange juices

This study evaluated the individual and combined efficacies of physical processing techniques such as heating, Dynashock multi-frequency ultrasound waves, ultraviolet-C (UV-C), and additives such as sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, α- and β-Pinene for pasteurization of orange and apple juices against acid-adapted Escherichia coli O157:H7. In heated apple juice, log-linear inactivation of the test organism resulted in D values which were used to calculate for the recommended 5-log reduction process schedules (t_5D) at 45, 50, 52, 55, and 60 °C equal to 481.5, 103.6, 45.0, 22.4, and 10.54 min, respectively. E. coli O157:H7 exhibited biphasic inactivation composed of a slow inactivation lag, followed by log-linear inactivation in ultrasound-treated juice. t_5D schedules were similarly calculated at 54.7 and 77.5 min for orange and apple juice, respectively. Lethal rate analyses in the ultrasound-treated apple juice revealed that 85% of the reduction in E. coli population was due to the heat liberated by cavitation. Combined ultrasound and UV-C treatment resulted in greater inactivation rates in both juices, with greater efficacy in apple juice. Supplementation of all tested additives, whether singly or in combination, similarly resulted in significantly shorter t_5D schedules in both juices.     

Reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium DT 104 on fresh produce using an automated washer with near neutral electrolyzed (NEO) water and ultrasound

Automated produce washers can be a useful processing aid when treating fresh produce contaminated with pathogens. The use of near neutral pH electrolyzed (NEO) water as a wash or sanitizing solution has been shown to lead to significant reductions of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on fresh produce. To further enhance reported pathogen reductions, the effects of a combined NEO water (155 mg/L free chlorine, pH 6.5) and ultrasound wash protocol on lettuce and tomatoes inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium DT 104 were studied. The effects of the pH of NEO water and washer agitation on pathogen reductions were also assessed. Inoculated tomatoes and lettuce leaves were treated with either chilled deionized water or NEO water, with or without 20 kHz ultrasound (130 W and 210 W). Tomatoes were treated for 1, 3 and 5 min while lettuce was treated for 5, 10 and 15 min. Ultrasound significantly increased the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of NEO water (p < 0.05) but did not affect the pH and free chlorine concentration (p > 0.05). Increased washing time and higher ultrasonic power led to significantly greater reductions of both pathogens on produce items (p < 0.05). NEO water combined with 210 W ultrasonication for 15 min led to 4.4 and 4.3 log reductions of E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium on lettuce, respectively, while 210 W ultrasound for 5 min completely inactivated both pathogens on tomatoes. Both pathogens were completely inactivated in NEO water solutions, suggesting that its use presents little chance of cross-contamination.     

Disinfection of Legionella pneumophila by ultrasonic treatment with TiO2

An ultrasonic treatment system, using a TiO₂ photocatalyst, was used to disinfect Legionella pneumophila. A kinetic study of the process indicates that TiO₂ significantly improves the disinfection process. The concentrations of viable cells were reduced to 6% of the initial concentrations in the presence of 0.2 g/ml TiO₂ after a 30 min of treatment period, while only an 18% reduction was observed in the absence of TiO₂. The potency of the disinfection could be enhanced, to some extent, by increasing the amount of TiO₂ used. Cell concentrations were decreased by an order of 3 within 30 min of treatment in the presence of 1.0 g/ml TiO₂. The disinfection power in the presence of TiO₂ versus Al₂O₃ was also compared and the findings showed that TiO₂ induced a higher cell killing. No significant effect of initial cell concentration on the disinfection was found in the range of 10²-10⁷ CFU/ml after a 30 min of treatment period. The mechanism of cell killing was investigated by examining the effects of OH radical scavengers such as ascorbic acid, histidine and glutathione. The disinfection power was reduced in samples that contained these radical scavengers, thus indicating the importance of OH radicals.     

无损检测技术在陶瓷材料检测中的应用

本文首先简述陶瓷制品的制作要求及材料制作过程中容易产生的缺陷。介绍超声检测、红外热成像检测技术在陶瓷材料检测中的应用。超声检测术适用于检测陶瓷制品生产过程中的各类缺陷;红外成像检测技术更适合工业生产自动化、大批量检测。为今后陶瓷制品的检测及质量把控奠定了基础。     

Ultrasound-assisted Acid red dye removal using leather fibre wastes as matrix: ‘intra wastes interaction’ approach

It is desirable to make effective use of solid wastes, as well as waste liquors, of the dye house generated from leather processing. The present study deals with the adsorption of Acid red 26 (Xylidine ponceau) dye using leather fibre waste (buffing dust) as substrate matrix by the means of ultrasound, magnetic stirring and conventional heating. The research examined the effect of various process parameters: ultrasonic power, concentration of dye, temperature and time. The dye uptake data have been fitted with Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms, indicating a useful dye adsorption process. A mechanism for dye adsorption in leather fibres has also been proposed. This study shows that it is possible to remove dyes from dye house effluent streams using leather waste fibres of buffing dust by means of ultrasound. Two different toxic wastes produced by the same industry can be effectively contained. This ‘Intra wastes interaction’ approach could reduce the burden of discarding wastes of other materials in the leather industry.     

Application of stimuli responsive polymers for sustainable ion exchange chromatography

Ion exchange processes are widely used in the food, bioprocessing and related industries for the isolation of proteins and other ionic species. Traditional ion exchange resins require salts, acids or bases for releasing adsorbed molecules creating a strong saline waste stream with negative environmental and economic impact. Stimuli responsive polymers (SRPs) with ion exchange functional groups can be used to selectively capture and release charged molecules from a complex mixture using physical stimuli to trigger conformational transitions in the polymer. The structural change of the polymers in response to a stimulus may lead to reduced ligand–target molecule interaction resulting in the release of the captured molecule without the use of chemical reagents, thereby reducing the environmental burden associated with ion exchange processes. The use of temperature responsive polymers has already been demonstrated for such applications at analytical scale. However, little progress has been made to extend these discoveries to the development of materials and methods amenable to industrial scale processing. So far, other SRPs such as, electric, magnetic and light responsive polymers remain largely unexplored for such application. This article discusses the potential of temperature responsive and other SRPs for developing sustainable ion exchange processes. It also highlights the material science and engineering challenges that need to be overcome to bring such processes to industrial application.     

超声降解铬黑T及亚甲蓝的实验研究

尝试采用超声波技术对铬黑T及亚甲基蓝两种模拟染料废水进行降解实验。以脱色率为指标,分别考察pH值、超声功率强度、超声时间和温度等因素对两种模拟染料废水脱色作用的影响。结果表明:超声波技术对铬黑T及亚甲基蓝两种模拟染料废水具有一定的脱色能力,随着pH值的增大,脱色能力减弱。常温下,在pH=1.79附近、超声时间120min,超声功率0.7kw时,亚甲基蓝模拟染料废水的脱色率为27.60%,铬黑T模拟染料废水的脱色率为20.33%。进一步地采用超声波与水合二氧化锰联用技术,可以极大提高有机染料的降解效率,水合二氧化锰投加量为40mg/L时,亚甲基蓝模拟染料废水的脱色率达到92.48%。     

Assessment of the bio-cementation effect on shale soil using ultrasound measurement

The assessment of bio-cementation effect using nondestructive testing methods is important for the application of microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique. In this study, a special grouting system was designed to conduct the bio-grouting of shale soils on a testing model. The ultrasound technique was used to evaluate the effectiveness of bio-cementation. A method was derived to estimate the distribution of ultrasonic wave velocity values within the testing model based on the average values measured on the model surfaces. From the changes of isosurfaces of velocity values, the evolution of soil improvement within the model corresponding to the different number of grouting cycles was analyzed numerically and visually. The SEM imaging technique was used to illustrate the mechanism of influence of the calcium carbonate precipitation on the wave velocity of the bio-cemented specimen. The linear relationships were established among the ultrasonic wave velocity, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and the amount of CaCO₃ precipitations formed in the MICP process. In combination with the application of the ultrasound measurement technique as demonstrated in this work, the relationship provides a very useful nondestructive testing tool to assess the effectiveness of bio-cementation within a large soil body.     

超声波对硫酸钡结垢影响规律研究

试验结果表明,超声波技术在集输管线和计量站应用中,能够满足在线运行的工况要求,具有很好的防垢与除垢效果。近些年,我国在超声波防垢和除垢技术领域取得显著的成就,该技术具有重要的科研价值和应用前景。其中,超声波的空化效应、活化效应、剪切效应可以有效的除垢防垢。近年来,研究超声波对碳酸钙结垢影响规律的文献比较多,但是超声波对硫酸钡结垢影响规律的研究较少,文章通过称重法和电镜粒度分析法研究超声波对硫酸钡结垢影响规律,为油气田有效的除去硫酸钡污垢提供一定的理论基础。